


all my life

by meliapis



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, an entire novel compressed into 9k words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-25 23:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18711694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meliapis/pseuds/meliapis
Summary: Anyone could see how close she was to the brunet; they had arrived together in Traverse Town after the demolishing of Destiny Islands and been joined at the hip ever since. Now that they were older and were growing into their roles in the battle between the light and dark, she wondered just how many had figured out what the hero truly meant to her.





	1. part one

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This took me over a month to perfect so I hope those of you who read it enjoy what was supposed to be a one-shot but ended up being multiple parts. Enjoy!
> 
> warnings: khiii spoilers, light angst

_A confused and vaguely disappointed hum and, then, “No fanfare?”_

_“Uh-uh.”_

_“Nope, looks like we missed the Coliseum.”_

_“Sora, you opened the gate!”_

_“I was a little off again. Sorry! We’ll find him, but we need to go!”_

_“Up the mountain?”_

_“Yeah. ‘Up’ is the usual direction.”_

_“Well, never hurts to have your head in the clouds.”_

_“Exactly!”_

The typical, deep-throated chortle from Goofy and the aggravated groan from Donald didn’t go unnoticed by Sora, but neither did the quiet figure that stood at the very back of the group.

He wanted to get a move on, feet itching to get some ground covered and find the famous hero of Olympus. He had to find out why his Power of Waking had up and vanished, but something about the look on her face made him pause.

Silently waving the royal colleagues of the King away to go on ahead of them, he wandered over towards the fourth member of their clique, hands behind his head and a question on his lips. They both stood at the edge of a cliff that overlooked the mountainous terrain of the current world they were visiting. It was a beautiful sight, though, she seemed to be staring past the grassy hills and clear skies—focused on something far away from the land they occupied for the time being. She seemed strangely melancholic despite their chipper surroundings and the exciting adventure they had ahead of them.

Sora thought back to what Goofy had said just minutes prior and felt a sprig of doubt in the statement. Because her head was high up in the clouds, maybe even in space, yet, she looked as hurt as the day they were wrenched away from Destiny Islands.

“What a view, huh?” he commented, slow when it came to breaching the problem that weighed the corner of her lips down. “Might’ve missed our target, but at least we get the scenic route.”

A sigh slipped from her nose as she blinked, drawing her consciousness back into that pretty head of hers. “Yeah,” she agreed in a hushed voice, “it’s definitely scenic.”

His mouth pursed at her somber tone, eyebrows furrowing in concern. “Is everything okay? You’ve been kinda quiet since we left Yen Sid’s.”

A hum left her before she smiled, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye as she turned to follow after their friends. “Can’t exactly get a word in with you lot, now can I?”

“Oh, c'mon, we don’t talk _that_ much!”

Finally, the sorrow seemed to fade from her as she laughed. Turning around to grab at his fingerless-gloved hands, she pulled him towards the cave behind them that opened up into a meadow where their remaining group members were scouting. “Move it, chatterbox, or we might miss all the fun.”

He squeezed her hands, tugging her into his side so that he could wrap an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll make you eat those words later!” he promised, face close to hers.

She felt heat bloom within her cheeks and elbowed him lightly in the stomach. The “oof” she got in reply allowed her to escape and take off after Donald and Goofy. “I’d like to see you try, slowpoke!”

“Hey!”

As they all regrouped, there wasn’t much time to fool around before Heartless sprung up from the depths. They made quick work of them as two keyblade wielders were already more than enough to take on such low-level monsters, but the repose that came after made it hard for the girl to stay focused.

She did her best to listen to her companions, their conversations filled with Donald’s complaints and Sora quips. Nothing seemed to soothe the ache that had attached to her heart like some nasty parasite. It could go on to ruin the quest or worse—leave her vulnerable for the Organization.

She had seen Sora fall to the darkness, Riku too. She wouldn’t allow herself to do the same.

But as strong and optimistic as she tried to be, something was weighing her down and not even Sora and his sunny smile would be able to help her through it. She knew whatever she felt was something she had to overcome herself, always had known since those weird dreams had started back when he had slept for a year.

Those had been hard times, and the majority of them had been her locking herself away in one of the many rooms at the Mysterious Tower. What a mess she’d been when her radiant companion had returned to the land of the wakeful. She couldn’t remember how long she had just sat there, crying as she held him.

Anyone could see how close she was to the brunet; they had arrived together in Traverse Town after the demolishing of Destiny Islands and been joined at the hip ever since. Now that they were older and were growing into their roles in the battle between the light and dark, she wondered just how many had figured out what the hero truly meant to her.

She couldn’t count how many times the people they’d run into on their travels had commented on their correlation with one another. Almost every princess she’d crossed paths with had encouraged her to tell him her true feelings. Riku had perhaps been the most insistent of all ever since he had returned.

“ _We don’t know how much time we have left, you know. You need to tell him.”_

“ _You know I can’t.”_

“ _If you don’t, I will_ — _”_

“ _I can’t do that to Kairi.”_

He had seemed to understand, then. It was such a difficult place to be in, especially with the circumstances surrounding all of them.

Ever since she woke up on that island she had known that Sora and Kairi were the endgame and Riku knew that, too. They always had the habit of running off together, leaving the quieter of the four to carp about their childishness. And when he thought about it, he had always wondered why she was so closed off when it came to the redhead. He assumed being the only girls around would make them inseparable, yet, as nice as [Name] was, she had never opened up to Kairi, not even once.

Instead, Riku seemed to take up that spot, comforting her on the beach as they watched the sunset. He just never had an inkling as to why.

“ _Didn’t you ever notice,” she started, eyes wet with tears she refused to part with, “how the three of you always just fit perfectly together? I know I was there and I know you all cared about me just as much as anyone else…”_ _She paused, choking up as she turned away from her fellow master keyblade wielder. “But I’ve always felt that you were supposed to be a trio and that I didn’t belong in your story._

“ _So, please, don’t tell him,”_ _she begged._

Riku had left her alone after that, silently supporting her from afar and always making sure to remind her how important she was to everyone there, fourth member or not.

He wasn’t around to help her now as the thoughts began to resurface.

There had been too many nightmares of her disappearing and no one being any the wiser. It was like her existence had been wiped from the universe, all traces of her erased. What hurt the most was that nothing ever changed. Everything had resumed as usual; the spaces where she’d said one thing or done another was just skipped over. She wasn’t missed, not even a bit.

“Whoa!”

At Sora’s exclamation, she realized with a start that they had made it back to Yen Sid’s tower. Behind them, King Mickey and Riku stood, having returned from their own mission as well, it seemed.

Riku caught her gaze and offered a smile that was reserved especially for her. She did her best to mirror it.

“Oh, wow!” the royal mouse said, surprised by the crowded room. “You guys are all here!”

“We were here before but you didn’t wait,” Sora whined, eyes as rueful as a kicked puppy’s.

Donald and Goofy had held no sympathy for the boy, roughly shoving passed to get to their friend and sovereign. The duel hits sent him spiraling towards the [color]ette.

In a flash, she opened her arms wide to accept him, stumbling back and eventually falling with his unexpected weight. He had the sense to wrap his arms around her, cushioning her head with his hand before it met the hard ground of the master study. The end result of the fall left his frame encompassing hers, chests touching and the side of his head pressed against her cheek.

A sigh of relief from him sent shivers down her spine, his warm breath slipping under the collar of her shirt. While he was glad to have saved his friend from what could have been a dreadful concussion, it wasn’t until a few seconds passed by that he realized he was practically crushing her.

“Oh, sorry!” He flushed a prominent red as he pulled up, nose skimming hers from the close proximity. “Are you okay? I didn’t break anything did I?”

She would gladly break every bone in her body if it meant she could hold him like this again, of course, she would never tell him that.

“The only thing I broke is your fall,” she said with a simper. He seemed to freeze at the way her eyes squinted in amusement.

“And personal boundaries, obviously,” Riku voiced, reminding them they were anything but alone.

Burning in embarrassment, the girl turned her head as Sora scrambled off of her. “Hey, it wasn’t my fault! They pushed me!” He pointed towards the duck and dog who were still too caught up in their conversation with the king to care.

Donald finished quietly with, “But…it was a big disappointment.”

“What a shame,” Mickey replied with a frown. “But, honestly…”

“We didn’t fare any better,” Riku disclosed, turning his attention from his clumsy friends back to the subject at hand.

Sora took the chance to help his companion up, gripping her hand securely as she got to her feet. “Thanks for catching me,” he murmured, a small smile on his lips. “Guess you’ve always got my back, huh?”

“Pretty sure that was your front,” she teased, dusting herself off as they snickered. “But, yeah, you can always count on me to catch you.”

“Same here,” he promised and the look she gave had enough energy coursing through him to send him to the next world and back.

Forget the Gummi Ship, she could fuel their way any day with that smile

* * *

Alright, she would admit that there was some favoritism when it came to the worlds she had visited. As much as she loved Hercules, Olympus would never beat the amazing tail she had procured in Atlantica or her lioness form at Pride Rock.

Sora may have also played a part in her preferred destinations as she couldn’t say seeing him shirtless a few years ago hadn’t been a great experience. Though, she had been a bit too young to have fully appreciated it, after the accident at the Mysterious Tower she could confidently admit (to herself) that the boy still felt as fit as he’d looked back then.

But this? This form was definitely in her top ten.

“You have a _tail!”_ She burst into a fit of giggles, nearly falling to the floor as he fought to look over his shoulder. He made a complete circle trying to get a good look at the small extension adorning his furry, pantless backside. She cried from how hard she was laughing, Donald and Goofy scared of each other and the sharp teeth the girl revealed with her howling amusement.

“Well, so do you!” Sora fought, pointy ears lowering in affront as she continued to cackle.

She had to fight for a breath, doing her best to calm down as she took a moment to look at herself. There was a bit of discomfort in the lack of clothes, but the fur did a great job of covering what she’d rather not be seen. She wasn’t all that different from Sora’s form in hindsight, but the sight of him still made her hold back another round of giggles.

“I don’t see what’s funny about it,” Donald said, looking among their rag-tag group. “You’re all hideous to look at!”

“Hey, speak for yourself! You’re givin’ me the heebie-jeebies. Could you take a few steps back?”

“ _You_ take a step back!”

As the three talked it out, the only female of the gang caught her breath. She had enjoyed the places they had been to so far—Sora as a figurine had been adorable (even though the Toy Box world had made her head ache at times. There had been a strong sense of déjà vu there for some reason) and the greenery of Corona was a lovely sight to behold.

She had especially loved the dance Sora had swept her into at the festival, spinning and lifting her until she was dizzy with excitement. The moment of peace that had come at the light of the lanterns was savored, the way his hand had covered hers at the docks even more so.

Making their way through the world of Monster Inc., she found it wasn’t the worst destination in their travels. Riding the closet doors throughout the factory was more than enough fun, and she held a soft spot for Boo as well as her accompanying monster friends, Mike and Sully. She was relieved to move on, though, and a pit stop in Twilight Town to see Merlin sounded like heaven as well as Little Chef’s cooking.

While Sora took care of business in the Hundred Acre Wood, she and the rest of the group conversed with the wise wizard and ate their fair share of food. Eventually, she parted ways with her friends to have a bit of time for herself.

Wandering the town, she came to appreciate the sleepy atmosphere that paired with the warm-colored sky. Everything felt so relaxed there, time nonexistent.

Her walking lead her to a clock tower, smaller than that of Big Ben but just as beautiful. Unfortunately, she had no fairy dust to fly up, but a set of stairs gave her easy access to the top. The outlook was breathtaking and she took the moments she had left to stay there and enjoy the late afternoon breeze.

It wasn’t long before the ache from Olympus recrudesced, her heartbeat painful as she pulled in a weak exhale. Why did it feel like all of this was fading away? She couldn’t pinpoint why it seemed like an end was near but it was there, lurking at the back of her mind.

Maybe it was just those nightmares playing tricks again—forcing her to feel like her story was reaching its climax before teetering off into nothing. It was a horrible sensation, whatever it was.

“There you are!”

She jumped at the holler, head twisting around to see who had scared the living daylights out of her system. Sora. Of course, who else would have found her hiding all the way up here?

“Want some?” He held up what looked to be two popsicles so bright a color of blue they almost appeared white in the dying light of the sun.

“What is it?”

“Sea salt ice-cream! Hayner and the rest said it was a town favorite or something.”

“Sea salt? I hope they aren’t pranking you,” she said, accepting the snack as he dropped down next to her on the ledge. He was close, she thought. Their shoulders skimmed one another’s.

“They better not be! I paid perfectly good munny for them.” He hummed, tentatively sticking out his tongue to taste the cold treat. His eyes went wide as he gasped, looking at her in amazement. “Wow, it’s really good, actually!”

She laughed. “Really?” He garbled a reply, half of the popsicle buried in his mouth already. She went to warn him of the consequences of that but before she could—

“Ah! Brainfreeze!”

She sighed, rolling her eyes at his antics. “You goofball.”

“Man, that really hurts,” he groaned, holding a hand to his temple as he curled in on himself. She rubbed a hand over his back, smiling to herself as she swiped her tongue over the icy snack at a leisurely pace. Sora was right, it was delicious. The perfect blend of bittersweet.

The next time she paid the brunet a glance, he was still hunched over but his eyes were centered on her face, his lips tilted up in a cute grin.

She felt her heart skip in its cavity as her hand lowered from his back. “What?”

“Nothing,” he murmured, looking down as he swung his legs back and forth. “It’s just nice to see you look so peaceful.”

“Tired of my warrior rage when we battle Heartless?” she joked, unsure of how to react to his kind words. It was difficult not to take his compliments the wrong way. She knew he’d never see her like that, not with the way he cared for Kairi.

“No!” He went upright, so serious as he faced her that it made her draw her shoulders closer in fright. “You’re amazing when you fight like that! Better than Riku, even! It’s no wonder you passed the Mark of Mastery Exam!”

He was really laying it on thick today, wasn’t he? She felt herself burning with the heat of his stare.

“I’m sure you’ll be a great master,” she scrambled to return the flattery. “If it weren’t for the Organization, you would be one right now, I bet.”

“You think?” He smiled, looking out at the town and giving her a chance to breathe without his entrancing gaze swallowing her whole. “I hope I can take the exam again someday… But first I have to get the Power of Waking back.”

“I know you’ll figure it out,” she comforted, finishing her treat and gesturing to Sora’s melting mess in his hand. He gasped, struggling to catch the drooping mass of salty sweetness with his mouth. It made her laugh again as he braced himself for the brain freeze that never came.

There was silence as he ate the remnants of his ice cream and she didn’t bother to ruin it. Instead, she studied the few clouds lazily drifting across the sky. Some held a resemblance to common animals and objects, but one looked suspiciously close to the shape of a heart.

She wished it would break apart, then she could call it irony.

“Hey.”

She hummed, tilting her head his way but not offering a glance as her eyelids drooped shut. This sleepy town was doing its job alright.

“After we defeat the Organization and Xehanort, let’s celebrate at Destiny Islands, okay?”

She chuckled, chest warm as his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders. Everything in her reveled in the feeling of him holding her, she could only wish it meant something else as she rested her head on his firm shoulder.

“Gotta be sure to invite everyone,” she whispered, sleep beckoning her.

“Yeah and then we can watch the sunset and…” As he drifted off so did she, breath evening out before he could finish his statement. “And, maybe, we can share a paopu fruit? If that’s okay?”

He waited for an answer that never came before sighing at her resting face, rubbing his blushing cheek against her soft head. As brave as he tried to be, the hero in him always faltered with her these days. But soon, he would be sure to ask her again.

He wouldn’t hesitate then.


	2. part two

Everyone fought so hard, so why did it end there? She couldn’t understand any of it, especially why Xehanort had gone after _her_ in the final battle. Kairi has always been a target for the Organization, being a Princess of the Heart, yet, it wasn’t her or even someone important for that matter.

What did he want with a girl who played the smallest role in his fate?

She just couldn’t comprehend it and now everything was so fuzzy. The world around her wasn’t physical anymore and colors faded in and out of focus. She could hear voices whispered from a distance and feel a warmth somewhere just out of her reach. It was growing colder with each second. Had the mass of Heartless taken them too?

 _Sora_ … She felt the connection there, a thin string wrapped around his heart and extending towards hers. He had been one of the last things she remembered—him holding her, protecting her from Xehanort’s vessel and then being ripped away, fingers untangling as fear took over. A wave of shadows had swept her into its shivering embrace, just like numerous others. If that had happened, why was she still here?

 _Sora_. She fought to hold onto him. He was slipping away, the light in his heart becoming dimmer. That couldn’t happen—he couldn’t give up just like that. What about the celebration at Destiny Islands they’d talked about? There was still so much she wanted to do with him, so much she needed to say.

 _I’m not letting you go_ , she promised, sending everything to him and holding him up just like he did for her when she was at her lowest. _This isn’t the end for you, Sora. The world still needs a hero_.

It was all she could do to to keep him together. He was fracturing apart, ripping at the seams. She begged him to try, to hold on for as long as he could. She needed help for the parts she couldn’t reach.

Seemingly out of nowhere, she felt someone else. They were just as warm and bright as Sora, helping her piece him back together. Kairi. Kairi would help him more than she ever could.

 _But I’m here,_ she swore to him. _I’m right here_.

Slowly, his warmth began to strengthen, encasing her entire form. He would be alright now. She felt it. The distance between them grew as he went off to finish what was left to piece together. The others would need his help with their hearts scattered, but she would be with him the entire way. And so would Kairi.

While he was off saving their friends, she felt a nudge at the back of her head. Flashes of familiar faces surfaced and a world she hadn’t seen in some time.

Suddenly, a lot of things made sense and so did the feelings she’d gone through this entire journey. Of course, Xehanort wanted her. She was just as every bit as important to this finale as anyone else (though she still had her doubts).

Her heart ached tenfold as the answer revealed itself. How would she be able to tell Sora?

Eventually, he found his way back to the void that she was located in. It triggered the space to shift, revealing a lit pathway that would lead them back to their world or so she hoped.

She smiled as he floated into sight, flying into her embrace now that he’d returned to his physical form. As his blue eyes met hers, his shocked expression had her laughing. She grabbed onto his hands and guided them towards the tunnel of light that held a heavenly glow. It was time for him to go back and finish the last battle. This Keyblade War would finally see its end.

“I found you!” he exclaimed, grip tightening on her hands. “Kairi told me you were helping hold me together! You were the light all along!”

She was? The information made her heart jump as she beamed at him. “I told you I’d protect you,” she said, drifting alongside him. He kept their hands intertwined, unwilling to let go as they spun at a leisurely pace. “You might be a hero but that doesn’t mean you’re almighty, you know.”

His chuckles made her grin before that nagging sensation settled in her mind. There wasn’t much time left. She had to tell him or the ending would be anything but happy.

That was why she had come here after all—to give this story its true happily ever after.

“Sora, I need to tell you something.”

“Hmm? What is it?” He finally looked at peace and she hated she had to be the one to ruin it.

“I remembered my life before Destiny Islands,” she explained as his eyes widened, not expecting that news in the slightest. “I’m not from this world, or any of the world’s we’ve visited. I don’t think I’m from this universe at all, actually.”

He frowned, brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

“You know how when we met Woody and Buzz, and they thought you were from a video game?”

“Yeah?”

“Where I come from you are,” she whispered. “And you actually look like yourself,” she adds jokingly.

“Hey!” he groused and she snickered quietly. Then, she sighed.

“Listen, I’ve been on borrowed time. The end of the game is coming and when it ends I don’t know what’ll happen to me. I’ll probably have to leave—”

His gasp sent pain slashing through her chest. “What? But you can’t just leave! We still have so much to do! W-what about the party?” It sounded like he was scrambling to find reasons to keep her anchored there. She would stay if it was her choice. But it wasn’t.

“I promise there will still be one and I’m going to make sure you’re there to see it this time,” she whispered, confusing him as her eyes watered.

“What do you mean? Of course I’ll be there to see it!” He looked down at their hands as she squeezed his.

“I want you to _swear_ to me that no matter what happens you won’t use your Power of Waking after the battle.”

Astounded, he jerked his gaze back to hers, surprised by how serious her mien was. “But I—“

She drew him back into her embrace, voice breaking. “Sora, _please_. You have to promise me or all of this would’ve been for nothing.”

He scowled, hugging her tightly. He couldn’t see her face, but he felt the tears streaming onto his shirt. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep her from crying, even if that meant casting away an important part of himself.

“Okay, I promise.”

“Good,” she sniffed, pulling away with gentle movements. The light began to encompass them as she smiled. “Now, let’s go take down Xehanort and keep our friends safe, alright?”

He called her name as they were pulled into the light. Then, he was back to where the fight had begun with his hand in hers.

He swore that this time he wasn’t going to let anyone get hurt, not one person he loved.

But it’s hard to keep promises when fate was the one pulling the strings.

* * *

She had ended up splitting away with Kairi. The stone labyrinth did a great job of slowing them down, but it was the Organization that kept them from moving forward.

She had never bothered to learn about the numerous black coats and their names besides Axel who had turned to their side. He seemed to know who the blue-haired was that had her digging her feet into the ground when they faced off. Her Keyblade wasn’t so easily matched by his spike-ridden weapon, but his darkness did a great deal of damage and sent both the girls flying back numerous times.

Sora had come out of nowhere, calling their names and joining the fray. It was good to see him again and it pained her to think this might be the last time she put on a brave face as they fought their way through the obstacles.

They weren’t making much headway when Xemnas showed up, but his antics pushed a hooded figure to intervene. Sora revealed her to be Xion, guarding Axel from her keyblade and begging her to make the right choice.

Having promised to always have his back, Sora’s childhood friend caught him in her arms when Xion collided with him. Xemnas made for her unconscious form, leaving the (color)ette to brandish her Keyblade once more. She was one of the only ones still upright from the fight.

A light fled from Sora’s chest, distracting her for a moment before she shook her head and pointed her weapon towards the white-haired villain.

“Don’t touch her!” she yelled, laying Sora’s head gently down on the dirt. She jumped over him and her friends as he reached for her, calling her name weakly.

Xemnas eyed the girl with interested, his red blade buzzing as he angled it towards her. Axel tried to stop him, but he was easily kicked away.

Bracing herself for an oncoming attack, she watched as Xemnas raised his weapon and gripped her own tighter. Then, suddenly, dust was choking her as something crashed down just in front of her, blinding the battlefield.

“Hands off my friends.”

She sighed as Roxas stood ahead of her and retreated back to Sora, helping him to his feet. He shot her a grateful grin and she huffed, shaking the dust from his unnaturally shaped hair.

Everyone returned to their battle stances as Roxas explained his revival, facing off with Xemnas and Isa (as she’d learned from Axel). All the while, the girl who didn’t belong kept a keen eye on Kairi, keeping close and keeping alert.

“I don’t need Hearts! I will scatter them all to the winds!”

A heartbeat escaped her, muscle memory reacting as she turned away from the front and pushed the redhead behind her. This was where everything took a turn for a worse—she remembered it like it was yesterday.

Ansem glared her down as everyone raced to find where he’d gone. She turned her Keyblade towards him as Kairi gasped, stumbling into Sora from the girl’s harsh shove.

“It won’t be that easy,” [Name] growled up at him. “I won’t let you take her!”

“On the contrary,” Ansem said, raising his blade. “It wasn’t her I was after.”

Shock enveloped her bones as he struck down, meeting her weapon with ferocity. She heard Sora call for her as his strength overshadowed hers, sending her tumbling across the ground and away from the group. She coughed, hurrying to get back to her feet and found her Keyblade was missing. She had dropped it during the tumble.

Cold hands gripped the back of her throat before she could spot it, cutting off her air supply. She struggled as she was lifted from the ground, kicking her feet out and grasping at the fingers strangling her neck.

“Let her go!” Sora screamed. Dots started to cloud her vision. Her heartbeat was a drum pounding in her ears.

“What difference does one little light make? You have others. Just as we have more darknesses to replenish our ranks,” Ansem stated somewhere in the background of her gasping. She tried to swing her feet back into his legs, anywhere she could reach, but the lack of oxygen was getting to her. Calling her Keyblade back to her hand was too difficult when she could barely feel her fingers.

 _Sora_ … She choked on a breath that wasn’t there. _I didn’t say goodbye!_

Then again, she never thought she’d get the chance. She had always planned to stop Kairi’s death. That was why she came here–so that Sora wouldn’t sacrifice himself in the end after overusing his Power of Waking. It never occurred to her who would take the princess’s place.

If anything, it was a weight off her shoulders. She knew her demise would hurt Sora and Riku and all the others who’d come to know her. But if this was what it took to earn them their peaceful lives back, then she’d gladly be a volunteer.

Darkness crept in at the corners of her eyes. She felt like her head was a second away from exploding as a coldness surrounded her body. Sora was the last thing on her mind as she lost consciousness.

* * *

Frantic and fearful, Sora did his best to speed through any remaining enemies to figure out where [Name] had been taken. He had always been optimistic, but after she had explained that she would be leaving soon all he could think of was if he’d ever get to see her again.

What was he supposed to do without her? She had been by his side for years—they’d never been apart except for when he had been forced into a deep slumber. If she was gone, nothing would feel right anymore. A piece would be missing and nothing would be able to replace it.

“Riku! Your majesty!” he yelled, spotting their figures ahead of him. He met them at the center of the graveyard, panting from his constant running and fighting but anything but tired with danger lurking.

“Sora!” Mickey squeaked.

“About time,” Riku greeted, warranting an apology from the brunet. They barely had time to catch their breath before a harsh wind blew over them, revealing all of Xehanort’s forms as they stepped forward.

Sora’s jaw clenched at the sight of them, vehemence flashing through his eyes as fire enveloped his chest.

“Xemnas!” he roared, darting in front of his friends. “Where’s [Name]?!”

“Wait, she’s in trouble?” Riku questioned, panic overtaking his expression.

“Yeah, Xemnas took her!” Sora gritted his teeth, hand falling from his keyblade to make an angry fist. He had to protect her—!

“Settle down, boy,” a mocking voice projected from above, Xehanort’s in all his heinous glory.

“It’s Sora!” he spat, both hands back on his weapon.

Ignoring him, the enemy continued. ““The thirteen darknesses and seven lights have clashed nine times, yielding these nine keys.” He waved his arm to reveal the crucial items to their eyes.

“Keys?” the king questioned.

“We are four short, but those keys will be produced here and now.”

“Yeah, sure,” Sora scoffed. “And what makes you think we’d ever help you with that?”

Xehanort gave an amused hum. “You forget I plan for every eventuality.”

A heartbeat escaped the hero as well as a gasp. He was going to use [Name] against them somehow. He felt it.

“If you do summon Kingdom Hearts,” Riku said, walking forward, “we _will_ defeat you and we _will_ close it again!”

“Perhaps, that is…” the villain chuckled, amber eyes aglow as he opened them with a sickening grin, “If you survive that long.”

The trio readied themselves as another battle loomed. Sora was filled with determination as his eyes befell Xemnas.

 _Hold on for just a little longer, [Name]._ He let out a warrior cry as he leaped forward with his friends in tow. _I’ll see you soon._

Magic painted the graveyard in bright bursts as the battle raged on, giving light to the dark, dusty world around the heroes. They fought hard as they always did and came out victorious as each Xehanort replica was taken down. Sora didn’t allow the younger form’s words to get to him. His journey wasn’t at its end, yet. He still had people to look out for.

He was surprised by the emotions Xemnas and Ansem showed at the time of their death. While anger still festered in his own heart for stealing his dear friend away, he couldn’t hate Xemnas for what he’d done. He couldn’t hate anyone.

Part of him believed he could, though, when he was faced with the mastermind behind all the pain and suffering. Xehanort had committed unspeakable crimes, torn his friends away from him and them from their home. He wanted justice for all of that—they deserved that much.

“Twelve keys we have now,” the man spoke, leaving the trip to realize what they had done. How could they have provided three of the four keys without knowing? “Leaving just one more!”

A powerful keyblade was called as he pointed it towards the heavens, blasting a hole through the mass of grey clouds. A golden light bled through the gap, leaving their enemy bathed in the spotlight. “Now, Sora,” he said, raising a fist, “darkness and light’s final clash.”

The boy faltered, blue eyes were blown wide at the declaration. Could he choose to not fight? To find a peaceful solution to all of this even if the man before him didn’t deserve it? Apparently, Xehanort sensed the hesitation in him, because, suddenly, a figure was pulled into reality.

Sora choked on a breath at the sight of her, yelling her name. She hung limp in the air, clinging to consciousness as she was dangled over the edge of the cliff. Kicking weakly at her invisible restraints, she scowled over her shoulder at her capturer. She’d always hated being a damsel in distress.

“You require motivation,” Xehanort stated and fear struck Sora as he jumped, feet digging into the rock as he ran. He could see her above him, reaching a hand out as her lips formed his name. She uttered something and he screamed her name, pleading.

Nothing could stop the blade as it sliced down her back, pain clear across her face as she arched at the blow. Sora swiped for her and then, only fractures of light met his hand. A single piece was all that was left of her before it, too, faded away.

An anguished cry left him as he turned in the air, clashing his weapon against Xehanort’s. Hot tears streamed down his face as he screamed, “Why her?!” He was sent flying back, returning to the ground he’d risen from with his friends standing in shock just ahead. “Why?!”

Riku felt his surprise melt away as rage filled his being. His hands shook as his eyes burned with unshed tears. All he could see were memories of her and him on the beach, her smile as she entrusted him with things she couldn’t tell anyone else—all of her, she was gone. Just like that.

The boys lamented from their positions in the graveyard and so did the soul that had splintered into nothingness. She was still there somewhat, could hear the battle move forward and feel the anger festering in Sora’s heart.

Sadness swallowed her whole as she was ripped away from their world, forced to retreat back the way she’d came. She didn’t want to go home—didn’t know she _could_. Her old world would never be able to comfort her the way her friends here had. And Sora. What would she do without his stupid grin and cheerful disposition?

All her thoughts crowded together, her deep sobbing an echo as her soul weaves itself back into one. When she opened her eyes again, tears streamed from them. Above her was the familiar ceiling of her bedroom. Everything around her, she recalled, but it felt so cold and so dead. She couldn’t feel the magic pulsing through her or around her like she had before. A painful cry left her when she found she couldn’t even summon her keyblade into existence.

 _Was it even real?_ Had she even changed the ending of the final Kingdom Hearts?

It was the most painful realization to come to her that she may never know.


	3. part three

Two months passed and so did her grief in slow, depressing increments. Life resumed from the exact moment she had left. No one had missed her in all the time that had gone by (to her at least), but her friends and family did notice a difference in her.

She wondered if it was because she’d grown to be a teenager twice—if that made her older, somehow. She knew the change mostly came from a broken heart as what else could possibly keep her holed up in her room for the remainder of the summer?

People began to worry, asked her if she needed to see a doctor. No one understood the sudden shift in her character, but how could she explain the adventure she’d been on for years of her life? How could she explain how she grew up on Destiny Islands and met various Disney characters and even fell in love?

She couldn’t.

School was due to start back soon. Most of her old friends had given up trying to improve her mood after the breakdown she suffered from seeing the cover of the so-called “game” everyone knew she loved. They distanced themselves and she found no solace in the world she no longer knew.

Today she managed to pull herself out of bed. The sun was out, bright enough to make her eyes ache. She sought its warmth and eventually found herself wandering the streets of her home. Buildings came and went until she found a place of solitude to sit and think.

There was no use crying any more, she knew that. In the end, she’d have to forget and move on with her life lest she got left behind. There was no magic in this world to help her out here and there—everything was built with strength and sweat not the love and light of one’s soul.

On the bright side, she didn’t have to fight heartless or worry about falling to the dark side. When people brought up Disney movies she could vaguely tell them about the worlds she visited. Sure, they’d joke about how she knew such odd things about animated characters but it would ease her pain to talk about that life, even just a bit.

Sighing for the nth time since her return, she got to her feet, brushing off the dirt on her backside from sitting on the curb. All around her it was quiet. Sundays were that way sometimes, she supposed. If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine Twilight Town with this serenity.

Turning to start up the tall steps and back to the main road towards home, she paused at the sounds of running footsteps.

“I’m sorry! It’s not my fault you look like that— _ow!_ C'mon, it was only a joke!”

Squinting at the shrieks of distress and what she assumed were animals, she started her ascent up the stairs to see what had disturbed the peaceful silence. Before she could get more than a few steps up, however, a form came tumbling down in a hurry. All she made out was brown hair and a mass of red, black and grey before they slammed into her.

The crash sent her to the ground, elbows and legs scraped from the cement but her head was protected by a warm hand. The wind was knocked out of her as she gasped, pushing at the person in surprise.

“What—” she began before being faced with a pair of eyes that were way too blue to be real. Colors weren’t that vibrant here unless they were feigned with products or technology.

“Uh!” He blinked at her, frozen in shock as he studied her features. _“[Name]?!”_

She squinted at him, disbelieving of the scene before her. He looked far too realistic, not at all soft like the animated world she recalled. Here she could pick out freckles and pores and his hair—it was still as thick and brown as ever but it wasn’t nearly as spiky and unusually shaped.

 _“Sora?”_ Her voice was quiet but hopeful. Tears sprung to her eyes as he choked on a laugh, grinning down at her with similar, watery eyes.

“You were right,” he chuckled. “You’ll always be there to catch me, huh?”

She nodded, whimpering as he helped her up from the cement. Her scratches stung but she ignored them in favor of latching onto the boy in front of her. He laughed, holding her close as he spun them around. She smiled into the crook of his neck, giggling as he set her down.

“We finally found you!” He breathed, arms dropping as his hands were splayed out in amazement. “I can’t believe it!”

“We?” She sniffed before an abrupt quack sounded alongside the bark of a dog. Lowering her gaze, she gasped at the sight of a white duck jumping up and down with a cute little outfit on. The dog was much the same.

She laughed, kneeling down to greet them.  “Donald? Goofy?”

“I guess this was the only way to blend in with your world,” Sora sighed, shrugging helplessly as he ran a hand through his hair and scowled at his normal-sized shoes. “This place is weird!”

“Yeah, it’s…probably the lack of magic,” she explained, patting Donald before he shook with anger. She could practically hear him yelling that he wasn’t a petting zoo exhibit. Goofy didn’t seem to mind the head scratches.

“There’s no magic here?” Sora asked, humming as she nodded. “That explains why I’m so tired I guess…”

She gasped as she noticed his injured hand. “Sora, you’re bleeding!”

“Bleeding?” He made a noise of surprise as he noticed the red seeping from his skin. “Ew! What the heck is this?”

Shaking her head, she grabbed his wrist and started to lead him back towards her home. “Here where you get hurt you can’t just heal with magic, so you bleed. I have some stuff that’ll help, don’t worry.”

“You’re bleeding too!” He pointed towards her legs with a gasp. “Did heartless hurt you?”

“Heartless don’t exist here.”

_“What?!”_

* * *

“You’ve really been traveling this whole time?” she questioned, smoothening a bandaid over the hero’s scraped hand.

“You said I couldn’t use my Power of Waking, but you never mentioned the Gummi Ship,” he chuckled, wincing as she brushed over the cut a bit too hard.

“Sorry,” she whispered, pulling away. The supplies needed to be put up anyway. “How did you even know I returned home?”

“Ansem and Ienzo! They were able to figure out that your heart didn’t disappear like they usually do after you die. We all figured it meant you went back to your home world.” She froze as his voice suddenly appeared behind her. “And we were right.”

Turning to meet his gaze, she smiled as he beamed at her, grabbing her hands again. “You can come back home with us!” he said and she felt the smallest piece of guilt as joy grew in her chest. Because if she did leave, then this time she’d really be gone. Her family and friends would know she was missing.

“Do you not want to?” She blinked at Sora, his expression saddened by her silence.

“No, there’s nothing more I want than to go back. I don’t belong in this world anymore,” she murmured and he was back to his smiling self. “But I have to say goodbye.”

He shook his head. “Not forever! We can visit now that we know which world to travel to,” he promised and she felt the guilt lighten in her heart. “It’s a long trip back to Destiny Islands, so we better pack anything we might need.”

“Right,” she laughed, excitement coursing through her. A yell from downstairs signaled that someone was home.

_“Why is there a duck and a dog in the house?!”_

“Who’s that?” Sora hummed and she quickly shoved him out of the bathroom and into her room.

“No one. Stay in here while I fetch Donald and Goofy.”

He pouted. “What, how come?” 

“I don’t know how they’ll react to me having a boy in the house!” With that, she slammed the door shut and hurried downstairs. Donald was running from her guardian like a maniac, screaming all over the place as feathers went flying. Goofy watched in silence.

“[Name] did you bring a duck into the house?!”

“No! He’s my friend’s…pet. I told them I’d take care of him for today.”

They gave you a bland look. “A pet duck?”

“And a dog,” she motioned.

“What are their names?”

“…Donald and Goofy,” she muttered, heat developing in her face.  

They didn’t look impressed. “Uh-huh, cute. Well, they better not be here tomorrow when I get home from work.”

“Don’t worry they won’t,” she promised, leaving out the fact that she wouldn’t be either. It was best to act normal until she left or as normal she could be with how depressed she’d been all this time. But that didn’t stop her from hugging them and thanking them for always looking out for her.

They seem confused from her sudden actions but they returned her embrace. And it made the guilt grow all the more.

* * *

Leaving a letter was one of the hardest things to do. After all, there were still people here she loved and who loved her. They would never understand why she was leaving or how exactly she was either. But she was happy and she’s sure that’s all they would care about. That and her safety.

So when she found herself stepping onto the warm beaches of Destiny Islands it all felt like a dream. The reality of her world had changed to that of the soft shapes and vibrant colors she knew were all real and genuine. Sora was back to his original design and she felt comfortable to be in her own.

“No more “bleeding” for us,” he said, gesturing to her healed legs. She smiled and nodded in agreement.

Cries of joy and people yelling her name had her turning to see everyone running down the beach. There wasn’t a face she didn’t recognize and they all were smiling at her, encasing her in one of the biggest group hugs she’d ever participated in.

It was finally time for that celebration she had talked about with Sora months ago. This time, everyone would be accounted for, including her with her interesting background.

The party went on for hours until the sun had long since set and all that was left of a campfire were the glowing embers.

Those who hadn’t left to return home remained on the island to form a large slumber party of sorts. Aqua and her trio had fallen asleep next to the dying fire alongside Axel, Roxas, and Riku. Sora was alongside them as well. The younger girls like Kairi, Xion, and Naminé had taken to sleeping inside the treehouses, not keen on having sand in their hair when they awoke. It didn’t matter much as sand got everywhere even if they assumed they were safe.

Everyone [Name] knew was asleep or gone and that left her by herself as she strolled the sandy white beach of the island. The sea that lapped at her ankles was still warm and begging her to take a dip but she knew better. Instead, she found sanctuary under the wooden peer, laughing when she found her hoard of shells that she’d hidden under there back when she and the rest were kids. They’re still in perfect condition and not at all like the ones Kairi enjoyed picking—she had stayed well away from those because of her petty jealousy at that age.

That’s behind me now, she promised herself. With the true happy ending, she’d forget about her feelings for the spiky brunet and move on. The universe was vast and she had all the time in the world to find herself and find another love if she wanted to. There was plenty of fish in the sea.

She smiled to herself, melancholy as the waves tickled her toes. Digging them into the wet sand, she went through her secret stash, wondering if the smaller ones could be made into necklaces. Riku could sport this pure white one she’d found.

The blue one hiding under the rest was barely bigger than the head of her thumb and she knew only one person who could do it justice. With a sigh, she picked it up and traces its outline on the palm of her hand. Her head turned to the pike next to her. Maybe there would be a pink one to pair with it.

Something moved into the edge of her vision, scaring her half to death as a dark form ducked under the low peer. She blew out a breath as Sora rubbed at his sleep-ridden eye with one hand, the other clasping a wooden board above him for balance.

As he opened his eyes to look at her the moonlight grew, casting a brilliant flow over his face that made her heart skip.

“What’re you doin’ up?” he slurred sleepily. It pulled a laugh from her lips.

“Sorry. Couldn’t sleep,” she said, tone amused as he hummed and nodded. Something must have just occurred to him because his eyes went wide as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Hey, I’ll be right back. Don’t move, okay?” He took off before she could ask why, his dazed state gone in a matter of seconds. She never knew where all that energy came from.

Sitting quietly and watching the silvery ocean waves lull peacefully, she relaxed. Soon enough, his bare feet could be heard shifting the sand as he ducked under the peer to sit beside her. Whatever he was excited for he kept a secret, leaning over his lap with an eager grin.

“What?” she chuckled.

“Wasn’t today great?” he asked, urging her to raise an eyebrow curiously.

“Best day of my life,” she said in all seriousness. “Thanks for finding me, Sora. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I couldn’t come back here.” Her eyes fled to the ocean once more and she pictured all the sleeping souls nearby, calm and serene. “My heart’s here—it’s home.”

“It wouldn’t be without you.”

She glanced at him, flustered by his words. “Really?”

“Well, yeah!” he breathed, shaking his head. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if we never found you. When you just disappeared like that I…” His heartbreaking sigh caused his shoulders to slump from the strength of it. “You mean so much to me—to everyone, you know? Riku was beside himself when you left and don’t get me started on Goofy and Donald.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be!” He stared at her, eyes passionate as he covered her hand with his. “It just goes to show how much we all care for you—how much I,  well, you know…” Even at night, she could tell how red his face was becoming. His nervousness bled into her and she felt her chest flutter faster than Tinkerbell’s wings.

“Sora?” She whispered, hopeful.

“I just,” he tried to find the right words, “I don’t want to lose you again. I always want you to be around, so…”

At the sight of movement, her eyes flickered down to where his arm rose to showcase a paopu fruit in his grasp. She felt her heart go wild as she sucked in a breath.

“I want our destinies to be intertwined,” he murmured, eyes too shy to meet hers until she shook his head again with renewed vigor. She found it hard to get air in with him looking at her like that. “If that’s okay with you?”

Okay with her? She was seconds away from jumping clear over the moon, of course, it was okay! Though, he didn’t know that so she better tell him.

“Yeah,” she choked out, reaching over to hold the other side of the fruit. “I’d love to.”

They both held the star-shaped food between them, eyes locked as they raised it to their mouths. She was reminded of Lady and the Tramp just then and before either of them could take a bite, Sora was pulling away, face steaming.

 _“Ahh, this is so embarrassing!”_ he squeaked and she laughed, stealing the fruit away to take a quick bite before passing it to him. That seemed to help as he grinned at her, taking a chunk off right where she had.

“That’s an indirect kiss, you know,” she teased and he nearly choked as her giggles echoed into the night. Revenge was his when his hands found her sides, abandoning the fruit in lieu of tickling her silly.

The next morning when everyone awoke to begin breakfast and then head their separate ways, it was Naminé who found them huddled beneath the peer, hugging each other so tightly in their slumber she concluded they must’ve fallen asleep that way.

Her flushed giggles had the rest of the crew creeping down to see the scene before Riku ushered them away with a grin of his own. They needed their privacy.

As everyone went to their respective spots on the beach, he took one last glimpse at their sleeping forms and sighed.

_Now you can finally be happy, [Name]._

With that in mind, he returned to the others and left them to rest in peace.

##  _the end._


End file.
